Refining Your “Why”
Training is hard.
Regardless of the end goal, avoiding the struggle of fatigue catches up. In these moments, it is vital to take a step back and remind yourself why you are in this position in the first place.
Here are some questions to spark inner dialogue and refine your why.
Why did I start running?
What are my long-term goals for running, and how does my current training align with those goals?
How does running make me feel emotionally, physically, and mentally? How do I tap into these feelings to reignite motivation?
Who or what are my inspirations for running? How can I draw inspiration from them during challenging times during the process?
What are some benefits that I’ve experienced from running? How can I remind myself of those benefits throughout the process to regain motivation?
What has been beneficial in the past to help me overcome obstacles, setbacks, and challenging moments? What lessons apply to my current situation?
What milestones or goals can I set to reinstall curiosity and passion in my training?
Can I identify factors outside my training that impact my motivation and fatigue? How can I address these factors?
How can training be more enjoyable? What are some opportunities to infuse joy into movement?
Who can I contact when I need motivation and support? Is it a coach, a fellow runner, a community group, or a friend? What guidance would be most helpful at this time?
When you ask these questions, give yourself space to feel and interpret what is happening within you as you pursue profound understanding. Approach these questions as a place for curiosity rather than an area to be hard on yourself. See what comes up.
I encourage you to write down your responses.
How do you feel towards the part of you that is feeling? Can you identify what that part needs from you? Where do you feel it coming up in your body, and how can you take care of the physical and beyond?
Refining your why will help guide your training cycle and the longevity of your discipline in running and beyond.
I’m rooting for you in times when motivation is lacking and when it is strong. You got this.
